Telangana CM's Secretary shocked over release of Bilkis Bano's rapists

HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister KCR's Secratary Smita Sabharwal expressed shock and disbelief on Thursday when the rapists of Bilkis Bano were released from the jail by the Gujarat State Government.

In a statement on Wednesday, Bilkis Bano said that 11 individuals, including those convicted of gang-raping her and murdering 14 members of her family, had been released.

Joining those echoing their resentment over the release of the rapists, Smitha Sabharwal, a Telangana-cadre IAS officer of 2001 batch, tweeted on Thursday: "As a woman and a civil servant, I sit in shock after reading the news of the Bilkis Bano Case."We cannot deny her the right to breathe freely and without fear while still claiming to be a free country. #JusticeforBilkisBano".

This caused ripples in the political and bureaucratic circles, as the senior officer came out in the open and expressed he views more as a woman and a fellow Indian more than a senior bureaucrat.

It's uncommon for bureaucrats to comment on public platforms. However, Ms Sabharwal showed spine and stood up against the decision to release the rapists by the Gujarat Government.

KCR's daughter and MLC Kavitha Kalvakuntala also expressed rage at the decision, claiming that releasing the perpetrators of horrific crimes such as rape and murder on the auspicious occasion of Independence Day tainted the day's divinity. MLC Kavitha said, "As a woman, I can sense Bilkis Bano's pain and fear."

While appealing to the Supreme Court to intervene in the case, MLC Kavitha declared that, "This heinous judgement must be revoked immediately so that citizens do not lose faith in the legal system, there are no more incidents like the Nirbhaya incident, and no woman has to go through what Bilkis Bano did."

In an official statement, MLC Kavitha stated that, "This has taken place despite the fact that the central government has sent guidelines that explicitly mention that rapists and prisoners with life sentences should not be pardoned." The BJP government in Gujarat has displayed insensitivity by releasing the rapists of the then five-month pregnant Bilkis Bano and the murder of her three-year-old child. This is not only against the law and an out, but stands against humanity. The welcome shown to rapists and murderers after getting released from jail by some people who follow a certain ideology is a slap on the face of a just society. It is imperative to stop this extremely dangerous tradition before it takes the form of a legacy. I ask the Supreme Court to step in and take quick action on this matter.

The agony of the past 20 years washed over me once again when I discovered that the 11 guilty men who devastated my family, my life, and took my 3-year-old daughter had walked free two days ago. I had no work to do. I'm still numb, "Bilkis Bano said in her statement released by her advocate Shoba on Wednesday.

She added, "My trust in the legal system has been shaken by the release of these criminals. My grief and shaky faith are not only for me; they are for every woman fighting in the courts for justice. I'm at a loss for words today. How can justice for any woman come to this? I had faith in our nation's highest courts. I was slowly learning to live with my trauma because I trusted the system. Before making such a significant and unfair choice, no one asked how I was feeling or asked about my safety. I urge the Gujarat government to undo this injustice and restore my right to live in peace and freedom. My family and I need to be kept secure, please".

Women from throughout the country have voiced astonishment and outrage at the release of Bilkis Bano's rapists. They all demanded that the verdict be nullified and that the perpetrators be punished.